Ayurveda practitioners back Ramdev

CITY'S AYURVEDA practitioners have stepped in to support Yog Guru Swami Ramdev, whose Ayurvedic medicines have kicked off a controversy following allegation that human bones and animal parts are used in Ramdev's pharmacy.

indiaUpdated: Jan 06, 2006 00:16 IST

Smriti Malaviya PTI

CITY'S AYURVEDA practitioners have stepped in to support Yog Guru Swami Ramdev, whose Ayurvedic medicines have kicked off a controversy following allegation that human bones and animal parts are used in Ramdev's pharmacy.

The Ayurveda practitioners claimed that the use of animal bones was permissible in Ayurveda medicines and its use was also mentioned in ancient Ayurvedic literature.

Principal of the Government Ayurveda College, Handia Prof GS Tomar said accusations made against Swami Ramdev were baseless. It was actually an attack on the ancient and time-tested science of Ayurveda which was widely practised by saints and seers.

"The Ayurveda medicines are of three types. These are from vegetable origin, animal origin and metal origin. The animal origin Ayurveda medicines contain shell, pearl, animal bone and deer's horns used after their natural death.

The deer horns are used in Ayurveda preparations and recommended to patients suffering from respiratory infection. These medicines have no side effect and body absorbs them easily. They provide holistic relief to the patients," he said.

Prof Tomar says cow's urine (in distilled form) is another Ayurveda medicine recommended to cancer patients for increasing their immunity. The specialty of cow's urine is also mentioned in Ayurveda literature.

"So all this controversy is nothing less but an attack on ancient science of Ayurveda," he added.

Ayurveda practitioner Dr SK Rai said firstly human organs were not used in Ayurveda medicines. "There are a number of Ayurveda medicines which contain animal bones and shells because they are a rich source of calcium," he added.

"For instance, Kukkuttadank Bhasm made of egg shell is recommended to women suffering from gynaecological problems. Besides, all the Ayurveda medicines are processed at least eight times to bring into biological form so that it gets easily absorbed and assimilates in the body, leaving no side effect. We are practicing Shastriya Ayurveda, which is 5000 years' old. In the past also there was no controversy over the contents of the Ayurveda medicines," he said.